Die Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte des antiken Puteoli

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Puteoli, established as a Roman colony in 194 B.C., was well-defended and had a favorable harbor, which facilitated significant trade connections with Delos and Alexandria that lasted into the 4th century A.D. This made it the primary port of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Over time, Puteoli expanded its trading relationships to include Gaul, Spain, Northern Africa, the Cyrenaica, the Nabataean kingdom, the Phoenician coast, Asia Minor, and Rhodes, focusing on luxury goods and cereals. Despite being 222 km from Rome, it served as the nearest major safe harbor, becoming a crucial trans-shipment center for goods from distant lands and the Campania region. The city's layout featured markets, warehouses, workshops, and residential buildings, reflecting its bustling economic activities. The diverse professions recorded in epigraphy and literature are explored in detail. Notably, the unique Tabulae Sulpicii provide insights into a largely unknown aspect of its economic life, particularly its banking transactions. The municipal elite remained stable for centuries, with a shift occurring in Neronian times as more freedmen began to ascend to higher social positions.